Assam’s young entrepreneur spinning out silk faster

GUWAHATI -A young entrepreneur from Assam has been trying to change the conventional method of weaving silk.

Dipak Bharali has come up with a new weaving device to boost productivity and incomes in the weaving sector.

Sualkuchi is the richest silk pocket in Kamrup district of lower Assam.

For years, weaving here has followed conventional methods.

Now, Bharali, a science graduate who started his own weaving venture in 1998, has developed a device called “Extra Weft Insertion in Handloom for Frugal Handloom Design”.

It will help to increase the output of conventional looms three-folds. And, for this achievement he got the prestigious President’s State Award in 2009.

“When this machine will be available in the market then income of weavers will be three times which is near about Rs.6000. So, I believe the unemployed can reap benefit out of this industry,” said Bharali.

Conventionally, the task of insertion of weft threads to make a variety of designs is done manually by tying knots.

This is tedious and cumbersome.

Dipak’s device reduces the insertion time to one-third the time required in a traditional loom.

“I would like to fulfill the requirement of my village. I want to spread this work in all over the country. So that other people can also reap profit out of this, which leads to increase in the economy of the country as a whole,” he added.

Dipak used the new device in his looms on an experimental basis and got wonderful results with the productivity of his looms going up by three times.

Sualkuchi has around 8,000 handlooms and Dipak is confident that his device will boost productivity that in turn will generate better incomes for the weavers. By Peter Alex Todd(ANI)